Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-01-29
ovRRRoARp "a eALh.
A Cabin Boy snatohed from the Wave.
and Certain Death.

storm. The boat was late IN starting
out that morning, and all knew its arr
val would be quite delayed and SOM
! time elRpse before the mail was ready 70
distribution, so, adjusting his quid, ont
/ of the captains remarked on the heigh
Of the waves then laundering on tn,
beach, which led the conversation into the
| height OF waves of Cape Horn and the
! Cape Of Good Hope. Each one IN his
turn told what he regarded the biggest
| yarn, when one of the old salta, Rftel
making a ''dead shot into the middle O
the spittoon, said:
81 saw a wave once on Cape Good
Hope We were a scuddin' berors the
wind in a heavy gale. was standin
aft when the ship went of, and I could
see the next wave as high as the bOWEn
crinkle Of the for'tOpsel." This reused
the fourth and oldest sailor Of the party
who, having adjusted his guild on the
port side, related the following thrilling
and wonderful incident:
''In the year 1857 was in the good
ship Minstrel, homeWRrd bound frsm
India. and Just of the Cape Of Good
Hope an accident happened shall never
orget. For several days we had blow
g and gloomy weather and to add to
10 gloom my steward was taken crazy
and had him below in irons. put in
his place the cabin boy, bright lad who
had shipped with me. He belonged in
Cleveland, Ohio. We were beating by
the cape, with wind southwest, blowing
a gale. was in my room preparing for
breakfast, about half past seven, when I
ha1wF he GNTnv. 0vaawhnuwHH
all know who have been on the water the
feelin' when One Of our little number
steps out with so short notice. My
first thought was, 1T is Brother Henry
for all sailors have a superstition that
when two brothers sail on ship but one
viii come home alive. was on deck in
an instant, but every man In the ship
was there before me and had thrown
overheard anything they thought would
help save the man, but these were Of no
advantage to a good swimmer, and
would hasten the drowning of a man
who couldn't swim.
SIT appears that the cabin boy had
gone TO the cook-house for the breakfast,
and the ship at that unlucky moment
went down into one of those heavy seas
which swept the deck and took him
over the side. I reached the deck In
time to see him pass the quarter, and 1t
seemed to me I never saw the ship fly
| through the water so swiftly. The boy
was q brave, cool lad, and 1 could see he
was battling manfully with the waves.
| No boat could live In such a sea, and
there was but one chance in thousand
to save him-thRt was to tack ship. Oh
course, this depended on the boys keep,
in above the waves.
''To wear round would bring the shiI
so far to le'Ward OF the boy that nC
human aid could save him. There wa
no time TO think much, SO I gave thu
order, Bout ship, every man to his sta
ton Sailors, you know, are quick K
feel, and in cases like this are quick K
act. L was proud Of my ship, and Eel
that she had no superior and but few
equals in her sailin' qualities, but being
under short sail and high sea was very
much against us. However watched
for smooth time, and, as if by magic
she came up and went around. I wen
up to the mizzen riggin', and could SCI
where the boy OF his hat lay by tn
large flock Of cape pigeons flying owe
from a ship. Being now windward t,
him we could shape our course direct 70
him, but how to get near enough T.
catch him IN passing and not let the shil
strike him was the next problem to solve
While standin' on the rail and guidin
the ship it occurred to me that if tn
boy was weak he could not hold on to
rope if it reached him, so ordered
number of men to be put over the sid
secured by strong ropes fastened to tn
mast lasked to the waist of the shiL
You know, Mr.. Linton, that merchant
men always carry spars dashed securel
to the side, so hoped these men woul
catch him as the ship passed. Gale
out In a firm voice: Boys, don't 20
miss him. and they knew from the wa
said it L meant it. He was now draw
ing near, and the ship flying over th
water. The man In the fore chain
missed him, then the next man, and til
next, and an audible groan went up fro1
every one. The fourth man, In the mi2
zen chains, was a strong, bright fellOV
and with my heart In my throat sR'
rim place his feet against the ships sid
and push himself of from the ship jus
as the boy came up on a wave. Saved
hurrahed the men, as they hauled hi1
on board. Now you know it took
deal of strength for that yOung man
catch and hold the boy as fast as th
ship was going through the water. Th
boy, after getting on deck shook hin
self and quietly remarked: 4 declare
, I've lost my hat ten-cent straw hat b
had bought In Penang.
81 busted myself the next quarter {
an hour in getting the ship round an
on her course again and saw that eVerl
r thing was snug, when up came the be
T and said; breakfast is ready, sir
was astonished. 1 supposed the DO
/ who had been in the water near an hou
was IN charge Of the officer below, rolli1
3 him on barrel to get the water out
4 him and rubbing him with hannels, er
q for week would require careful nur
ing.
? tsAt breakfast I asked him why he hl
8 swan away from the ship. He said:
i found had to swim before the sea
d keep from being rolled over, and VIII
Q the big waves approached I div
/ through them Did you suppose '
could get you? No, but I was dete
T, mined to keep above water as long
: my strength lasted How near did
l. birds come to you? 80 near I had
4 / to fight them OF and scream to let the
n know was alive. One sassy fellC
d came near picking q hole in my face.
4 GRAND ARMY AFFAIRS.
3 Marion Register: On last Saturd
evening q very enjoyable affair to
n place at the Odd Fellows hall IN Il